Robert Buckland Weblog

It is a calm and balmy Sunday morning in Tenby; all our plans for the weekend had to be changed by a visit to Pembrokeshire to see Sian’s mother at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest and to help her father at home.  As we were going into the hospital, I bumped into Capt Bill Phillips, who [...]

It has been a topsy turvy few days, due mainly to a sudden crisis involving my mother-in-law, a fall at home and the need for Sian to be on hand to care for both her parents since late on Saturday night.  I write this awaiting her late return from a few days spent sorting out [...]

The twentieth anniverary of the demonstrations in Tiananmen Square that culminated in the massed tanks of the Chinese Army literally crushing the student protests brought back personal memories of the anger and hope that I felt in 1989 – anger at the totalitarianism of the faction within the Chinese Communist Party that prevailed after Gorbachev’s [...]

I am pleased to report that the Walkely Midnight Walk was a success.  About 150 people took part, leaving the Red Lion at Avebury at just before 11pm on Saturday night.  After five hours and twenty-five minutes, we reached the True Heart Inn at Bishopstone and ate the saltiest breakfast imaginable.  There was no rain, [...]

By popular demand, and thanks to my webmaster Tim, this blog now has an RSS feed.  I do hope that afficionados will now tune in as and when things get updated here.  My work as a  School Governor took me to a training session at Swindon Council’s Civic Centre last night entitled “SEN in Mainstream [...]

The great soap opera that has been the Labour Leadership Question seems to have been resolved for now.  How Labour MPs and members can tolerate their current dire situation is something only they can answer.   Sunday night’s Count at the Oasis kept us occupied until after 10pm, and it was not happy viewing for Cllr Derique Montaut, the [...]

My first mobile blog;  Millie, George and I are being driven by Sian through the rain and I am confident enough to try typing.  My feet have recovered from a European Election day spent pounding the streets of Swindon, being joined along the way by Council Leader Rod Bluh, Deputy Leader Fionuala Foley and Dorcan [...]

As 3,400 Honda workers go back to work this week, let’s remember that they have taken a 3% pay cut in order to try and save their jobs.   This is an excellent example of workforce, employers and unions working together for the survival of their industry and a salutary reminder to everyone else that in [...]

The spectre of huge and inappropriate housing development around Swindon grows ever larger. The current Council consultation process relating to their Supplemental Planning Document concerning development of twelve thousand new homes east of the A419 between Swindon and South Marston has brought together campaigners from that village, Wanborough and Covingham.   I was delighted to be their [...]